


Lights

by DeckofDragons



Series: 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [4]
Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: 12 Days of Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M, home for the holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-25 06:01:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21831163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeckofDragons/pseuds/DeckofDragons
Summary: Engie brings Spy home for the Christmas. They weren't planning to decorate but ended up doing so anyway.
Relationships: Engineer/Spy (Team Fortress 2)
Series: 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570246
Kudos: 22





	Lights

Engie’s farm wasn’t what Spy had thought it’d be. The word ‘farm’ had brought to mind images of fields of crops, farm animals in pens and n big red barn houses. But while there was indeed a field, it was barren and dead. And while the barn house might have once a upon a time been red, it wasn’t anymore and inside of it was machinery, _lots_ of machinery, effectively making it a giant workshop. The actual house itself wasn’t much better, messy with odd bits from various types of small projects whose purpose Spy couldn’t guess most of the time.

“And well uh… that concludes the tour,” Engie said as they stood in his living room. “It ain’t much but it’s home I guess.”

In hindsight, Spy should’ve expected this. It was Engie after all and it’s not like he had anyone to watch over the farm while he was off working as a mercenary in New Mexico.

“I like it,” Spy said, speaking truthfully. It had a charming feel to it that was distinctly Engie. Once it was bit more lived in, it would probably feel homey. “Even if it is in the middle of nowhere.” It was probably going to get awful quiet but Spy would live.

“Yeah, it’s pretty far from everything. We’ll have to go to town later for groceries and stuff. It’s like an hour-long drive so you don’t have to come if you don’t want to. But for now, let’s rest for a bit.” They’d been in the car for _hours_ to get here, they needed a break.

Turns out they didn’t end up going to the store until the following morning. For supper, they’d eaten the last of the food they’d packed for the journey. For breakfast, they stopped by a place in town that according to Engie was one of the nicer restaurants even though Spy would sooner shoot himself in the foot than call the place even remotely nice. Despite that, for cheap diner food, it tasted pretty good. After that it was finally time to head to the store for everything they’d need to survive the next couple of weeks in Engie’s farm as well as stuff for a Christmas dinner.

It was a surprisingly big store considering the size of the town. And naturally, there were Christmas decorations _all_ over the place, a whole isle dedicated to it, and Christmas music played over the intercoms.

They were passing by the Christmas isle when Engie stopped. “Hey uh… you wanna get a tree?” he asked, looking at Spy as he gestured to it with his thumb. “I know it’s a bit cheesy and it’s probably gotta be fake one but…”

“Sure,” Spy interrupted. “Let’s get a tree. No reason not to other than possible space concerns but your truck should be able to handle it.”

They ended up getting a medium sized tree, not small enough to be sad and not big enough to be a hassle. But because they were a burying a tree, they of course needed lights and ornaments as well. And since they were decorating a tree they might as well get some lights and decorations to put up in and around the outside of the house too. Having not planned for this, they hadn’t measured anything before heading here so they made sure to get plenty to be on the safe side. They _kinda_ maybe went a little overboard and not even counting the tree on the bottom rack, their cart was already half full.

“Big Christmas people I see,” the cashier said with a friendly smile as they rolled up to her checkout counter. “I like it.”

“Yeah uh… it’s great,” Engie said despite the fact that they weren’t typically big Christmas people. They’d been planning to spend the holiday relaxed at his home, doing nothing but a small gift exchange. Instead they were decorating. Spy couldn’t say he was displeased by that notion, it would give them something to do.

When they got home, the put everything away and had a quick lunch after which, it was decorating time. The wreath went on the front door first then it was tree time. Spy had trouble figuring out what piece attached to what and where and how but Engie seemed to get it just fine. Once it was fully up, it was time to start putting on the lights.

“Wait,” Engie said before Spy could start wrapping the string of lights in his hands around the tree. “Before we do that, I got an idea.”

“What is it?”

“Well uh… it involves an invention.”

Spy narrowed his eyes at him, giving his best disapproving look. “You said you weren’t going to work on anything this holiday.” He _needed_ a break and Spy was going to ensure he got one.

“Yes but… it’s small, should only take a couple days to make. And it’s a passion project. _And_ if it works, it’ll be cool.”

“What is it?”

“I can’t tell you. If it works, I want it to be a surprise. So… can I?”

Spy sighed. If he tried to say ‘no’ Engie would do it anyway _and_ be sad so… “Sure, go ahead.”

“Sweet! Love you!” Engie gave Spy a quick kiss on the cheek before running off presumably to his work shop, bringing a box of Christmas lights with him.

It was three days before Engie declared it complete and therefore finally time to put up the lights. It was a box with switches on it and speakers that he plugged multiple strings of lights into. There were three on them, one for the Christmas tree lights, one for the lights on the windowsill and banister leading to the upstairs, and one for the lights on the outside of the house. He was particular about what string of lights went were and the spacing of the loops too.

“All right,” Spy said when they were _finally_ done putting everything up. They had gone overboard with the lights, it had taken _hours_ to put it all up. “What does your machine do?”

“Let me show you,” Engie said, gesturing for Spy to take a seat on the couch. He did so gratefully while Engie sat on the floor by the machine all the three strings of different coloured lights wrapped around the tree were plugged into.

He pressed some buttons and the tree lit up. Then at a push of another button, Christmas music started playing from the machine, loud and clear. The lights switched on and off in a clear pattern, keeping tune with the music. It was honestly amazing. Spy couldn’t even begin to guess how it might’ve been done; he wouldn’t have thought it possible had he been presented him with the idea beforehand.

“Wow,” he said, not bothering to try to hide his amazement.

“You like it?” Engie asked with a grin that was part joy and part pride in himself and his invention, well deserved pride.

“Of course, it’s… amazing.”

“I knew you would.” He got up off the floor and moved to sit next to Spy. “I’ve had the idea for a few years now but… I just never worked much on it because normally when I come back for Christmas, I’m alone so there ain’t no one around to appreciate it. And what’s the point of doing something for the sake of making something look pretty if there ain’t no one around to see it.”

Spy wasn’t sure he agreed, making something look nice solely for one’s own benefit when looking upon it was more how he thought of such things. But regardless… “It’s a very cool effect, good job. And now, no more working on things. We’re on vacation, it’s time for us to rest.”

“Yeah, all right, fair enough. I’ll be good now.”


End file.
